Sensory block level was tested using pinprick tests and motor block level was evaluated with Modified Bromage scale (scale 0 = full flexion of foot, knee and hip, ie, no motor block; scale 1 = full flexion of foot and knee, unable to hip flexion; scale 2 = full flexion of foot, unable to knee and hip flexion; scale 3 = total motor block; unable to foot, knee, and hip flexion).
Comparison of variables at different times between groups such as motor block were conducted using repeated measures two-way ANOVA test and Fisher's exact test was used to compare the percentage values.
The offset of motor block of the median nerve could not be tested in 7 patients (3, 2 and 2 patients in Group A, B and C respectively).
The patient was kept in the left side position for 15 min. The sensory block was evaluated by the pinprick test (22-gauge hypodermic needle), whereas motor block was evaluated by a modified Bromage scale (0 : no motor block; 1: hip block; 2: hip and knee block; 3 : hip, knee and ankle block).
After sitting for 10 min, the level of sensory block was tested with the alcohol swab and the level of a motor block was assessed with the Bromage score.
Motor block, sedation and nausea were rare.
To test the hypothesis that dual injection of the local anesthetic in coracoid infraclavicular brachial plexus block might enhance both sensory and motor block for anesthesia of the upper limb when compared with a single-injection technique.
Then, 3 ml of 1% mepivacaine was injected through the catheter without a motor block.
This block also avoids the complications of the more common femoral block (prolonged motor block, inadvertent arterial puncture, direct nerve damage) [7 9].
Complete motor block was defined as BS3.
